The 18 Things I Choose to Do in My 20s That Will Lead Me to Success 65

The 20s are the best time to do anything you want. It’s not too early and not too late, so the possibilities are countless.

If you’re in your 30s, 40s or else, you can still do whatever you want with your life. You may have more limitations, though, most of which are only in your mind, but age can’t stop you when you have a burning desire, a dream or a need to change.

So even if you’re not in your 20s, you can do the following things to some extent. But if you are, I think they are a must.

This list contains the things I’m currently doing with my life. And it doesn’t mean I’m working on my goals all the time. I also do all the time-wasting activities everyone else does, I’ve got my unhealthy habits, bad moments and periods of just doing nothing.

Sometimes, I may seem like a random 22-year-old girl with no big plans and a direction. That’s because I don’t really talk about these things and people in my life know me only to the point I want them to know me. So, of course, wrong conclusions are inevitable.
And as far as I know I’m on the right track for myself, I’m alright with the opinion of others.

So here are the things I chose to do in my 20s:

1. Follow my passion.

It’s a rare thing nowadays for a young person to know what he wants to do with his life and to have serious intentions to get it. I’m glad I found my passion and especially that I’m doing something about it every day.

2. Working on making it my career.

It’s also important to know what you don’t want to do with your life. And sometimes it’s easier to figure it out.
I’m sure that I don’t want to have a 9-5 job, work for someone else and depend on him, do stuff I hate, wait for the day to be over, dread Mondays because of that, become a depressed person and to top it all, make an amount of money that will never be enough to help me afford the lifestyle I want.

That’s why I’m working on making my passion my career.

[2016 Update] I’m not a full-time freelance writer, with multiple income streams, working on digital businesses and almost location independent.

[2017 Update] I now moved to another country, traveled to Asia for a few weeks with my laptop, and am financially independent.

3. Trying new things.

Now is the perfect time to do it. I’m talking about things that a real adult can’t really do.

For instance, I took another course in Italian more than a year ago, now I’m learning Dutch, went swimming for a few times (I ditched it after a few lessons but don’t feel bad about that as it was just an experiment), and I just finished a short course in bartending. I was planning on working that this summer but a much better opportunity came up and I just couldn’t reject it. But I had a great time there, met interesting people and learned new skills which was so fun. And I can always practice it if there’s nothing better to do (but I expect much better things to come along).

4. Learning new languages.

I love foreign languages. Italian is my favorite but I’m open for every other.

Some time ago I learned how to write and read in Hebrew, have been learning German for a few years back in high school (but it’s just not my thing and I don’t enjoy it so I haven’t practiced it since), I have some knowledge in Russian as it’s close to my language. My new favorite country is Holland (have friends there, love the culture and paid a visit recently). And it’s my new goal to speak Dutch well by the beginning of next summer.

5. Choosing principles to live by and staying true to them.

6. Perfect timing.

I know I’ll probably never have as much free time and lack of responsibilities as I do in my 20s. So I’m trying to appreciate it and make the best of it.

7. Started simplifying my life.

8. Do my best not to end up in a bad relationship.

I know it may last for years and have so many people around me that choose to be with the wrong person just because they don’t want to end up alone. But you can’t be alone in your 20s. That’s something you’ll worry about later.

10. Figure out who my real friends are – the ones I want to stay in my life, and investing in these relationships.

11. Traveling.

That’s an important one. You can never be sure if later you’ll have the time, chance or money to travel the world, so it’s best to start now. It’s one of the greatest things everyone can do with their lives.

12. Living life to the fullest.

13. Not getting into debt.

In Top 10 Mistakes to Avoid in Your 20s (a part of the 21 Convention), I heard a great rule and realized I actually stick to it. It says:

If you can’t pay cash, it’s not for you!

I have many friends who went to study abroad, and of course it’s better to get your education (if you’re serious about it) in England rather than here, in Bulgaria. But they got in a big debt because of that and technically, started their student life by taking money they don’t have that will need to be returned when they graduate university. That’s a big burden. And a sure way to never get rich later in your life.

14. Try to listen to what older people (or those with more experience) are saying.

15. Finding role models.

I have my role models and people I look up to. That’s priceless. And it doesn’t really matter whether they are people from your surrounding or someone you follow only online and whose books you’re reading. Having a mentor is a key.

16. Choose experience over material stuff.

I choose to welcome experience. That’s why when I have some spare money, I’d always go abroad or take up an exciting course, instead of buying top technologies.

17. Completing education.

I don’t really enjoy it, but I’ll go through it in my 20s. It’s once in a lifetime and now is the right moment.

Many people start it and when other things happen at the same time, they take a year off. That usually turns into a few years and some never complete their education. Others don’t go to uni at all, and eventually regret it.

That’s why I will finish my education and get a master degree, regardless of the fact that my career plans are different.

18. Having a vision.

Another important one!
I’ve figured out what I want, have some big ideas and plans and have started working on them. Vision is everything. There’s no action, and of course results, without it.

I hope you agree with me on all that.

Which of the things I do in my 20s do you think is most important? And what other things should a person do at that age?

For you, it could be building a company, getting promoted at work, generating wealth, or more humble ambitions, such as being the best parent or partner. While success looks different to each person, we all have an innate desire to achieve.

No matter how you define success as an individual, here are some habits you can adopt to become more successful in everyday life.

1. Be Focused.

There are distractions all around us, from social media and smartphones to friends and family. While everyone needs some ‘me time,’ to be successful, you also need focus. As such, cut out distractions and set aside time to work towards your goal.

Remember: There is always something productive you can do.

2. Aim to Learn.

It can be easy to get hung up results but being successful is about more than the outcome. The key to being truly successful is about learning. This allows you to grow and adapt, changing your approach and leading to improvements. As such, make learning a goal. This will also help to keep you motivated, too.

3. Be Prepared.

Being prepared is essential to increase the chance of success. This can be applied to almost any situation. Whether you are expecting your first baby, have an upcoming exam or interview, or are considering CFD trading, all require research and preparation.

4. Stop the Excuses.

When something goes wrong, it can be easy to dig your head in the sand, but this is not a habit of a successful person. Instead, take responsibility. Stop your excuses, work on your weaknesses and make improvements. The onus is on you to be successful so step up, set challenges and drive yourself forward.

5. Be Happy.

You may be focussed on earning more money, or you may have a goal to buy a flash car. But if you’re working a job you cannot stand, putting in too many hours and sacrificing time with the ones you love, you could quickly start to feel miserable.

6. Feel Grateful.

Success is often less about material possessions or goals than it is about changing our perceptions.

This is why it is important to start recognizing the good things around you. Recognise and feel grateful for what you already have and you will soon feel very successful indeed.

7. Start Failing.

This may seem counterintuitive, but failure is a big part of success. It helps to highlight the things we do not want and essentially provides clarity. A little failure never hurt anyone. After all, no one has ever become successful without first experiencing failure.

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